Pages

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A to Z April Challenge: Z is for Zenith

This is Day 26 – LAST DAY – of the A to Z April Challenge. My theme is women with
unusual names although I must cheat now and then or I’ll have a name and no
story.

is for Zenith Hubbell. “Zenith” means the highest point in the path
of a star, the peak, the apex, the culmination.
Appropriate name for the end of the A to Z Challenge, don’t you agree?

Much of Zenith’s life seems rather unremarkable. She was born in 1901 to Flossie Bucklew and
Nelson Hubbell, a clayworker in a factory in Brazil, Indiana. She attended school, and at age 15 she
married Harry Sanders Boes. However, in
three short years she was divorced and back home living with her mother and
working as a telephone operator.

In 1921, Zenith married Lee Roy McDonald, my first cousin
twice removed. (Side note: Lee Roy’s parents were Malvina Davis and
Grattan McDANIEL – I’m wondering when and how McDaniel morphed into McDonald!). They had one son, Lee Roy Jean.

But what interests me about Zenith is that in 1942 she
enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps.

I wonder why. Was
it a burst of patriotism? Was it for pay
and some sense of security? Sigh ~
another question that will probably never be answered.

Zip, Zoom, or Zigzag over to the A to Z April ChallengeZone for Zillions of Zesty Zingers by Zealous Zanies before they are Zapped.

Thanks Sally - and at the opposite end of the alphabet, there are several women named "Aseneth," which is a variation of Zenith. Had I had my act together, I could have started the Challenge with Aseneth and ended with Zenith to come full circle. I hate having a great idea too late!!

I agree, Zenith is the perfect name to end your AtoZ Challenge Theme. Isn't it funny how knowing the symbolism of a word/name gives it more interest? A lightening bolt is often associated with Zenith...even before Z-TV...maybe your Zenith was Zapped in Indianna on Sept. 11, 1942. You may never know, but Boy Howdy, my Fictitious ZippityDoDa is ZippingOut over the possiblities of a good story based on Zenith's Enlistment Record. Especially if I were a SciFy writer...look at that date...September 11th.

Thanks Wendy, for another April of excellent AtoZ Challenge Posts. We made it through!

Just found you on the last day of the challenge. I'll have to start over from A. Aseneth is interesting. The first four letters and the same first four of my maiden name. I know of someone named Zenobia. Greek, I believe. My first name is super common.

Hi, Wendy -congratulations on completing the A-Z challenge which I have very much enjoyed following - many fascinating names that I had never heard of before. I thought you might be interested in this name that I come across t in "The Sunday Chronicle" for 26th September 1937 (my husband's birthday)

This quirky item bore the intriguing headline "Zeppelina was Her Stork" and told how Zeppelina, celebrating her 21st birthday, was named after a German Zeppelin which crashed in a field near her home in Essex on the day she was born in 1916. It seemed a bit odd to name a child after enemy action, but at least there was no mention of any casualties from the incident.

I've heard of people naming their babies after the hurricane that was raging at the time of birth, but being named for anything to do with the enemy is a new one for me. I guess Zeppelina can be glad she wasn't named Hitlerina.

There was a time when everyone wanted to be part of war efforts in their country, at least that's how I understand it from reading and watching historical movies and documentaries. It was sort of like standing up for your family - All for one and one for all type thing.

Congratulations Wendy!! You've completed the A to Z Challenge! My hat's off to you. I don't know if I could keep up that pace of daily posts.

Zenith...what an interesting name. I checked my database. I've got some Zilpha's, Zerviah's and even a couple Zenobia's, but no Zenith.

It's both curious and cool that Zenith joined the Women's Army Corp. She would have been about 41 at the time and the record says her Branch code was "Inactive Reserve." I wonder if she stayed in the reserves throughout the war or was ever called to active duty.

Search This Blog

Award Free Zone

About Me

My name is Wendy. About twenty years ago, I helped my mother research the Jolletts. Since retiring from teaching, I have expanded my research which I share here. When I’m not looking for my own family, I index for FamilySearch and the Greene County Historical Society.
Welcome to Jollett Etc. Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. If you have more information or believe we are related, EMAIL ME at wendymath at cox dot net